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'New Zealand's going to have a tough time': Erasmus offers early RWC call
By Josh Raisey
South Africa head coach Rassie Erasmus has warned those tipping the All Blacks to beat Australia in the 2027 Rugby World Cup pool stages that “they underestimate the power of a home nation”.
The Wallabies were drawn with their rivals New Zealand in Pool A of their own World Cup on Wednesday in Sydney, in what is shaping up to be the most eagerly anticipated of the pool stages.
Boasting an 11-match win streak against the Wallabies and sitting five places above them in the world rankings in second, the All Blacks have opened up as early favourites to win that contest by many, but Erasmus believes history suggests people should not be so quick to call that match.
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Erasmus will take a keen interest in the contest, as the winner of Pool A is in line to face the Springboks at the quarter-final stages, assuming the reigning champions win Pool B and their round of 16 match-up.
Speaking after discovering his pool for the World Cup (Italy, Georgia and Romania), Erasmus was quizzed about the Trans-Tasman clash.
“I think they underestimate the power of a home nation,” the Bok boss said.
“You look at 1995, I don’t think we were favourites going in there, and then we went to France – if that game wasn’t played in France in that specific year, then everyone wouldn’t have talked about us and France.
“I do think they are making a big judgment call to just say ‘the All Blacks are going through’. Playing at home for Australia, they would have worked out in a World Cup the travel, and the rest, the jet lag, where there are five-day turnarounds, when there are seven-day turnarounds, how big is your squad, how strong is your squad.
“They’re playing the host in their pool, New Zealand’s going to have a tough time, as we will, to get to that game against us.”
